Argentina Travel Guide

Argentina is a country of immense beauty and proportions. Its
geographic diversity spans the most breathtaking terrain from
Antarctica, through the wild, glacier-filled mountains of Patagonia
and massive open plains of La Pampas to the deserts and tropical
jungles in the north.

The country can be enjoyed for its natural wonders alone, but no
visit here could be called complete without a glimpse of its soul,
the capital city. Elegant Buenos Aires is home to 40 percent of the
population, and is a buzzing metropolis with a rich, passionate and
tortured history that is integral to its character. It is Europe
and Latin America contained in one geographical location, with
elements of the unknown around each corner. It is familiar and
strange at the same time, but at its very core, wonderfully
welcoming.

Along the avenues of the fashionable districts, sophisticated
diners observe passers-by while they sip strong coffee or enjoy
smooth
cervezas. The constant smell of meat grilling from every
corner and sidewalk reveals the Argentine passion for
asado. Neither glamour nor passion is in short supply in
this cosmopolitan hub where Porteños are equally versed in
football, politics and fashion.

There are disparities between the rich and poor, with many
people living in near-slum conditions in the outskirts of Buenos
Aires. Since 1992, the economy has teetered near collapse due to
corruption and government mismanagement, prompting regular and
sometimes violent demonstrations. However, it is business-as-usual
as far as tourism is concerned; in fact, the resultant devaluation
of the peso has made the country much more affordable for
travellers.